@AbraCadabra: "<url>
Controversy Remains After Priest's Confession Of Sexual Indiscretion
During Exorcism
Roger Bianchini Managing Editor, Warren County Report
Posted: February 2, 2011 02:50 PM
An increasingly shrill and sometimes threatening tide of Catholic
online debate about the reasons for the sudden and unexpected Aug. 27,
2010 departure of Father Thomas Euteneuer from his post as president
of Human Life International led to a flurry of official apologies,
explanations and defenses of both Euteneuer's past behavior as not
only the superstar of the international pro-life movement, but also an
exorcist for the Catholic Church.
The Internet crescendo peaked in the wake of a Jan. 27th medical
emergency at HLI's Front Royal, Virginia headquarters described by
emergency medical responders as a "medical seizure" and by some
witnesses as a "demonic possession" of a past female associate of
Father Euteneuer's. Five days later, as the Catholic blogosphere
exploded with theories and accusations against the priest, attacks on
both the priest's critics and alleged victims, Euteneuer broke the
five months of official silence with an admission of one instance of
moral failing during his performance of an exorcism.
"The circumstances that led to my departure from HLI were related
exclusively to my own decisions and conduct within the ministry of
exorcism that I carried out independently from my responsibilities at
HLI," Euteneuer began in a Feb. 1 post on the website LifeSiteNews.
While adding that the "vast majority of my decisions and conduct, both
personally and in this ministry, were morally sound and consistent
with all standards of pastoral care of persons," Euteneuer added, "I
must acknowledge, however, that one particularly complex situation
clouded my judgment and led me to imprudent decisions with harmful
consequences, the worst of which was violating the boundaries of
chastity with an adult female who was under my spiritual care."
Euteneuer took "full responsibility" for his "weakness and sinful
conduct" but added a denial of some specific online accusations, such
as the presence in a rental room in his parent's home of a woman
alleged to have been the subject of repeated exorcisms by the priest.
Within 24 hours both Euteneuer's bishop and Human Life International
had issued statements on the matter, explaining and justifying the
past silence, acknowledging the situation  and in HLI's case adding
to the mixed reaction to Euteneuer's statement with the admission of
multiple accusations targeting Euteneuer, the priest's immediate
admission to improprieties regarding the initial accusation, and a
justification for a doctrine of silence on such matters as the
direction of Catholic Canon.
"The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common
good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be
known or for making use of a discreet language. The duty to avoid
scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal
the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2489. Emphasis in the original.),"
the HLI statement said.
"Although Father Euteneuer is somewhat remorseful, it doesn't seem to
me he is ready to take full responsibility for the episodes or has
even grasped the full gravity of his involvement in them. For the
diocese to keep quiet and let people continue to believe he is a saint
is one thing, but the fact that Father apparently is not in a 24/7
care center is troubling, because it means women are still vulnerable
to his advances," said Catholic blogger Tom O'Toole.
"We're furious," another blogger with personal connections to
Euteneuer's ministry as an exorcist said of her family's reaction.
"Adele", who asked us to keep her family's name and location private
had created a blog stream, "Journey to Therese" that was perhaps the
most contentiously posted in the weeks leading up to the official
statements on Euteneuer.
Online Debate and Threats
On Jan. 30th "Adele" told us she did have some concern about the tone
of some posts both attacking alleged victims and those posting about
their plight.
"Everything comes in God's time, not your time ... didn't Jesus have
to wait for His Father on the Cross??? ... but you're looking for
blood ... you'll get it but it will be yours," one anonymous blogger
posted to Adele on Jan. 28. Adele prefaced the post noting it sounded
like "a death threat" and that it had originated from a woman in
Florida  "I will be reporting this to the proper authorities," she
added.
Personal Experience
Between April 2008 and prior to Father Euteneuer's 2010 departure from
HLI, Adele's family paid Euteneuer directly for as many as 15 visits
to their mid-east home to deal with what they believed was the demonic
possession of a family member, she told us.
While they experienced nothing that could be termed sexually abusive,
both Adele and her family now wonder if their trust in the priest and
his healing abilities wasn't misplaced idealism in a man one blogger
said was treated like a "rock star" within the pro-life movement.
Adele reflects on episodes she now perceives to have been
counterproductive and emotionally bullying. Those incidents varied
from threats to withdraw from the exorcism process due to the
subject's heightened emotional state; to several behind-closed-door
accusations that the female subject "had a problem with men" due to
her jerking her hand away from Euteneuer's as they prayed together
during the exorcism ritual. She added that after such episodes and
tensions surrounding the family, the next time Euteneuer was in direct
contact with them "it was like nothing had happened."
Both Adele and her husband agreed the family saw little positive
impact from Euteneuer's repeated exorcism interventions. However they
added that once another priest became involved the situation seemed to
reach a positive conclusion in fairly short order.
Euteneuer vs. Hannity
Euteneuer gained national notoriety for attacking Sean Hannity as a
failed Catholic on the Fox News commentator's own television show. In
2007 Euteneuer blasted Hannity for his stance on birth control as an
acceptable alternative to abortion for non-Catholics.
"Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone," Hannity repeated
several times to Euteneuer during the infamous TV encounter. Euteneuer
dismissed Hannity as a "heretic" and "social Catholic" during his
scathing appraisal of the newsman's stance on birth control among
non-Catholics.
Hannity was later reduced to a one-word response  "Wow"  to the
priest's assertion he would refuse Hannity the sacrament of communion
for that stance.
On March 15, 2010, Father Euteneuer posted this online reflection on
that moment in the national spotlight.
"I still pray for him and hope for his conversion. What I hope and
pray for even more is a total return to fidelity of all Catholics to
the Truth on the critical issues of life, marriage and family, and the
sacrificial commitment that alone will bring America out of its moral
decay.""
    @bucky: ""Ramon F Herrera" <email_address> wrote in message 
news:<email_address>
<quote>
Religious people have been using rape as a weapon since forever."
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